This application is a request for funds to purchase equipment for state-of-the-art protein chemistry to be utilized by a major user group of 18 individuals at Vanderbilt with some limited use by others outside this group. The requested equipment includes an amino acid analyzer, a gas-phase protein sequencer, a dedicated HPLC system for the identification of PTH amino acids and an automated peptide synthesizer. The facility will be applied to problems involving comparison of amino acid compositions of proteins, complete sequencing of proteins, partial sequencing of peptides and proteins for construction of oligopeptide and oligonucleotide probes, and construction of oligopeptide probes for use in studies in the general areas of structural biochemistry, metabolic regulation, gene function, carcinogenesis, toxicology, hypertension, reproduction, drug/receptor interactions, chromatin function, and nutrition. A plan is presented to administer the use and upkeep of the proposed equipment.